An Invisible Enemy
by ElementXJ
Summary: An Ancient Ship returns


An Invisable enemy

Chapter One

"Finally, the day of Unonian superiority will be recognized!" screamed a fiery vixen amidst a chorus of cheers from her crew. "Position for attack!"

"Excellent, my child," an aging fox muttered from the corner of his mouth. He placed a hand over her shoulder as the both stepped down the main catwalk above the crew working feverishly to get the commanding word out for the thousands of battleships, carriers, cruisers, fighters, supply ships, and various other forms of naval warfare, all a well-tuned instrument in the greatest symphony of Unonian might ever witnessed across the galaxy. Even as the slender vixen gazed out the main viewing window to the first wave of fighters accelerating toward the empty space, an awe-inspiring hush fell across the transmitter waves.

"You've become so strong, my child," the old fox added as he turned to view the blue-furred vixen. "No one has ever risen to the ranks the way you have, ever in our tens of thousands of years of existence!"

Shaking her head, she placed a hand on his shoulder as she glanced at him. "You were the only one who believed in me. You were the only one who trusted me. Even when I was a filthy orphan, you weren't afraid to hold my hand. Even though my parents were killed mercilessly by Careinians, you've been a second father to me. Thank you, Damiano. Thank you."

"No, my child, thank you."

Smirking, all the vixen could do was observe her command organize into perfect position. She was completely content within the walls of her personal battleship, _The Elitist_. Even as a vast crew of soldiers worked feverishly below her on hundreds of commands from advanced computers and machinery, her silent reverence for the spectacular array of weaponry was undimmed. At_ last, the day has come, _she thought as she moved to the front of the window. Reaching out her hand, she swore she could touch the beautiful array of ships in front of her. _Almighty, grant me the strength to fight for the Unonian will. May we never be threatened or oppressed anymore by these Careinians. May all us foxes truly live free. May we all finally be free. _Her fists clenched tightly as she stood straight and proud. _May the name Selvala McEvo ring throughout the galaxy! May they fear the Unonians! May they fear me!_

"Kral Commodore McEvo!" a high ranking officer barked as he nervously placed his hand on the opposite shoulder in a common salute. His black, red, and white uniform was spotless, his appearance was even sharper. "Terrestko gives their warmest regards as they look forward to the demise of the Careinian might and the beginning of freedom!"

Kral Commodore McEvo nodded with a smirk. "Even though the Careinians have managed to migrate to their own planet, they still kept attacking and oppressing us. But this will end today. The vulpine race will seek them out and destroy them! We've lived under their thumbnails for far too long! Now _they_ are the thorn in _our_ side." She turned away from the impressive display of thousands of fighter planes skimming in front of her ship, moving their wings back in attack formation.

"Indeed, my child," Damiano chimed with a chuckle. "And we owe the day to you!" With a wrinkled hand, he led her down the catwalk closer to her troops. "Now that we have taken the Careinians completely off guard, we shall finally have access to interior of the galaxy, where we can establish greater ties with stronger planets."

"And the allied support of those already established within our federation will reap great rewards!" the officer from before added. "This plan is utterly flawless!"

Pride began to seep from the collar of her red, black, and white leather dress, complete with rankings and medals displaying her adroitness. "Just wait for my signal. Pryok is almost within our range. Let the sun cast over it like a crescent. Let us see the light before they do."

"Yes m'lady."

Turning to her side, she noticed the old fox had placed a wiry hand on her bony shoulder. He grinned like a wrinkled prune, but it was a warm smile, the kind only a caretaker could bestow, the kind which words fail to describe. "I'm so proud of you, my child. Now all Unonians will truly live in peace." He drew a breath from within his cavernous nostrils. "Peace. That's what the guardians promised. That's what Fox McCloud and Todd McEdek fought so hard to accomplish centuries ago." Chuckling, he adjusted his black robe. "Even they could have never envisioned where we would be today. Now the entire vulpine race, the Unonians, occupy Terrestko, as the other races left, save the small populations of the skunk and raccoons. Canvhis moved next door, sadly, and immediately began to wage war with us, vying for more territory. But we fought back. Their demise will soon follow." He paused as a large supply ship flew across the large window in front of them. "What would you tell them if they were alive today? What would the humble Fox McCloud say or the impulsive Todd McEdek do?"

She turned to her caretaker. "I would tell them that as long as I am living, they will never be put to shame. Those men were more powerful than anyone we've ever seen or known." Shaking her head, she noticed the first glimpse of sunlight appear over the horizon of the large, dark planet that was quickly coming into view. "I only hope to become a fraction of what they were."

"Of course, my child. As they did, may the fire within you torch the sacrificial light that leads all vulpine men and women to freedom."

Smirking, she watched as the planet soon occupied the entire viewing area. Though it was probably only the reflection off one of their vehicles, she swore she could spot the glow of the large cities dotting the terrain. "Like waiting for a fat cow to die in the open field at home," she muttered.

As she was about to order for an attack, the harrowing chorus of dozens of sirens and alarms suddenly chimed in. The crew underfoot was frantic, moving across the command room of the ship at a rapid rate. Shouts soon littered the air.

"M'lady!" the officer from before spoke, out of breath from running up a flight of stairs. "We've just lost sector seven!"

"What?" she screamed with a short, stabbing burst. "How? Thousands of ships-"

He pointed to the display window, and she immediately turned around. To her horror, as the sun began to make its way across the terrestrial landscape, it exposed the hiding spot of some tens of thousands of small Careinian elite class fighting ships, barreling toward them just around the bend of the floating sphere.

"Almighty!" She grabbed a microphone on a control deck nearby. "Move all of sectors six and eight closer to the center! Regroup the first three to face the brunt of the force! Have _The Requiem _and _The McVanke_ concentrate their firepower on any A-class Careinian dreadnaughts!"

"We can't repel that kind of a force!" screamed a general from below as explosions began to rock the hull.

"M'lady!" another fox hollered amidst the chaos, "sector eight has just been annihilated! Sectors nine and ten are too disorganized to repel!"

Kral Commodore McEvo glanced back at the viewing window, leaving the sirens and screams at bay. She beheld an all-out battle, as the strong-armed Careinians burst onto the scene and quickly overcame her once impervious force. Blasts erupted across the scene. Lasers flew at the great battleship in haste. Unonian fighters, advanced to the highest standards across the galaxy, were swept across the wave of invaders. Hell never seemed so dark.

Selvala quickly gripped a railing as a supply ship's dying screams rocked the interior of her ship with incredible force. Turning to her crew, she couldn't spot her beloved caretaker, Damiano. He always seemed to have the right advice and could speak the key phrases that would ease her nerves. As another explosion echoed across the confines of the ship, she grabbed the microphone once more.

"M'lady!" an officer cried. "_The Requiem _is on a collision course with the planet! Their g-diffuser has sustained a critical hit!"

"What are the reports on _this_ ship, commander?" she frantically asked.

"_The Elitist _has lost its main shields, fusion torpedoes have been damaged beyond repair, and we're quickly losing power!"

The noise was horrible, so intense that she couldn't make out any of his words. "Retreat! I repeat – a full retreat! I command all sectors to take evasive measures and escape!"  
"Where should we rendezvous, m'lady?" a man shrieked as another explosion shook the contents of _The Elitist_.

"We can't lead them to Terrestko! Their shields _must_ stay on high alert! We will move to Yang-Tzu!"

"Main shields have been lost!"

"_The McVanke's_ hull has been breached!"

"M'lady!"

The Kral Commodore turned to see where the shouts were coming from, but as she caught a glimpse of the display window, she noticed a gaggle of Careinian fighters heading directly toward them. As the first few Unonian ships nearby quickly left to the safe planet, the vixen heard gunfire coming from the nearby cannons of _The Elitist_, but she knew it was too late. Running as fast as her legs would carry her, she jumped as the dark cloud tore through the command room, bursting through the display window with ease.

Chapter Two

"Are you there, m'lady?"

Blinking her eyes, she soon realized she was strapped to a table, gazing up at a collection of bright lights and typical Yang-Tzusians, their large triangular ears and great, black eyes displaying their odd appearance, yet masking their gentle nature. They stared at her intently.

"You Unonians have risked so much for our safety. It's such a shame to see you kind people bullied by such a cold race."

Groggily, she moved her tongue in her mouth as the warm saliva began to stick to her teeth. Aside from the familiar beings and the table lit by intense lamps, the room appeared to be completely dark. She sighed.

"I'm terribly sorry, m'lady," another Yang-Tzusian replied, letting his white skin devoid of fur shine in the bright lamplight and small muzzle form syllables with very little effort. His simple white dress of silky fabric moved slightly in a gentle breeze. "The Unonian might is in shambles. It seems only a fraction of your great people returned alive. You yourself are only a fraction of what you used to be. Such a shame, you would have been considered beautiful before the attack."

Selvala wearily nodded her head, unsure of exactly what was transpiring. As she lifted her head, she quickly observed dozens of tubes and pipes pumping fluid and removing impurities from her body. But what kind of a body was it? Half of it looked to be mechanized, with many shiny metal parts and glowing liquid tubes traveling up and down the drab structures like parasitic worms. The thin robotic appendages were a ghastly sight. The other side, her left side, was uncovered but was at least still intact, for the most part.

"Wh-wh-what?"

"Your right side was torn off from a wing that flew off a damaged ship. You don't remember?"

Pausing, she finally shook her head. "No, not a thing."

"You were in such a terrible state, m'lady. A name came from your lips. I believe it was Damiano, but I cannot be truly sincere in that assumption as it was very hard to distinguish."

She nodded as she watched a Yang-Tzusian look over her robotic arm. "Damiano is my caretaker. Has he shown?"

"No m'lady. But we need your permission before we complete our procedure. In order to protect the remainder of your body, it has been suggested to encase your structure within a plastic suit. While it is not essential under your current condition, it would greatly increase your chances of a long life as a fighter."

Blinking once more, she couldn't believe the horrible twist of fate that once again changed her life. "I'm a shell of my former self. My nation is too." Another sigh escaped her grasp. "I don't deserve normalcy anyway. But please allow me to retain my looks so my race can identify with me."

"We will, m'lady. I promise. We have also implanted synthetic cells near the mechanized junctions with your body to promote tissue growth. This should reduce the pain, but it causes the host body to stop aging."

As they undid the straps, Selvala nodded. "Thank you." She watched as her body began to levitate. Without notice, a black coating soon covered her body, save her head, as if it were painted on. Then, with a series of snaps, a hard plastic torso plate of a shiny red color commenced the formation of her new look.

"The black layer is an organic polymer able to bind to your skin and the rigid plastic. Each plastic part is a conglomeration of metal and inorganic compounds arranged in a matrix fashion, producing a hard, durable substance that is rather lightweight. It, like the suit, can be removed by the host."

"How?"

"A control deck will be provided on your left arm. Simply remove the covering and push the appropriate button."

As the shoulders snapped into place, along with the thigh plates, she gazed at her thin mechanized hand, moving the fingers back and forth, still in shock. "I once was a filthy orphan. But I had more than I do now. I lost everything, and cost my people a victory."

"You will soon have your dignity, m'lady," another Yang-Tzusian gently soothed. "And we have been secretly working to produce what may very well help our cause in defeating the Careinians for good. Victory itself may not be far away, m'lady."

"Impossible," she groaned as more parts were placed on her. "The Unonian navy is in shambles."

"Perhaps, but the supply of troops may not be too far off."

"What do you mean?"

More lights suddenly flickered on. In the distance were seven female Yang-Tzusian females, dressed in simple white dresses that streamlined to the ground. In each one's arms was a child.

"What's going on?"

"Our culture permits surrogates. Using the DNA obtained from Terrestko, we have been able to essentially clone the four guardians of Uno, along with three other heroes from the past. As our genes are recessive in every aspect to your race, they have the exact same traits from before. See?" One of the women stepped forward upon command. "This one is of Todd McEdek. We've discovered so much about his gene structure."

As tough plastic boots worked their way onto her feet, Selvala's face darkened. "This is wrong. Horribly wrong! Our nation would be furious to learn of these… these clones! It's against our faith and our culture to permit tampering with our genes, let alone the genes of our heroes! How disrespectful!"

"We are terribly sorry. What shall we do with them, m'lady?"

She furrowed her brow as one of the baby kits began to cry. "Destroy them. Every last one." She paused. "This one is of Todd McEdek, correct?"

"Yes, m'lady. His own flesh and blood."

She sighed. "He was one of my caretaker's favorite Unonians of the past. While our culture is against gene tampering, I don't think any of us would object to mechanization. Why not construct robotic vulpines in the image of Kivo Todd McEdek? He was rumored to be the greatest Chaljsko fighter of his time, and that says a lot considering Fox McCloud lived during his time as well."

"Granted, m'lady," the Yang-Tzusian nearest the one holding the child replied. "We shall create millions. Each shall contain everything known about the Chaljsko, and even a recording of his mind, reconstructed in 2145. Each should have good standing with the Almighty, as Kivo McEdek did in his lifetime. It should only take us a few years to complete this project, m'lady."

"Good," she spoke sternly. By now, her entire body had been encased in hard, red plastic with openings exposing the black suit. All, that was, except for her head. "One day, one very fine day Uno will be free from this terrible curse. All of the federation will be delivered from the Careinians. I can feel it." She watched as her ears fell under the care of black plastic. Then, she shut her eyes as the mask, the final touch to her new form, was placed on her face, hooking onto the ears and neck.

After the Yang-Tzusian women toting baby kits in their arms watched the battered vixen complete her transformation, they were immediately filed out of the room. As they stepped from the large room, a portal instantly opened, revealing a pristine hallway of completely white tile and laminated walls. Each was used to the cleanliness of the structure, but it was still pleasing to see one's reflection perfectly through the smooth ceiling. They passed down two hallways, then filed into separate quarters: a room with nothing more than a seat and single pod next to a small window.

As the second to last Yang-Tzusian passed through the portal, she carefully sat on the white seat and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to the vulpine kit, waiting for it to face forward so it could view her.

"Oh, young one," she whispered. "Your genes come from such a wonderful world. Uno, or as we also call it, Terrestko. What a wonderful place it must be." The child cooed, and she blinked her big black eyes in a slight laugh as she scratched her large triangular ears. "A place where you can feel… feelings, and emotions. I've read about the anger, the sadness, and the fear. But I've also read about happiness, about charity and kindness, and also about love. Love." She turned away. "Your people fight valiantly for us, but sometimes I wonder… I wonder if we've been fighting ourselves sometimes. Oh, I want nothing more than to love you, young one, but that is not my duty. I am your surrogate, and you are merely a collection of organic cells working together in unison. But your people believe in souls and hearts. Perhaps you have those things too."

She placed the kit in the pod and pressed a button to shut the door. On the door was a screen prompting a destination path. In glowing green writing a series of choices immediately appeared, with the first choice being the nearest star, the sun shared by Unonians, Careinians, and Yang-Tzusians alike. She reached for that choice, but pulled away in the last moment.

"I don't know anything of hearts or souls, but you will have life," she whispered, though she could hear the kit crying on the opposite side of the thin door. "But promise me one thing, little one. Promise you will return to me one day. And promise me one day I will feel, truly feel this complicated emotion of love. Any one of the thousands of types your culture has defined."

Selecting a planet she had never heard of before, her hand melted from the door as the pod blasted high into the sky. "Goodbye, little one," she added impassively.

_Twenty years later…_

Chapter Three

"Long live the Starfox team!" chuckled a graying rabbit dressed in red and white. "Long live the team indeed!"

In the safety of the eating area of their dwelling, somewhere in the wastelands of the planet Papetoon, rested the Starfox team. Lighted only by a naked bulb in the center of the room, the congregation had all but finished a big meal. Yet even with the size of the room, the fact that it was carved out of dirt and stone in a nearby mountain meant that the fresh smells of potatoes, corn, meat, and bread would linger for days. The old rabbit, named Peppy Hare, eased his back on a cushioned chair while sitting next to the avian Falco Lombardi, who clutched his Macbeth-on-the-rocks with a winged hand. While he didn't normally drink, the exhaustion over the past few days taxed his limits.

"Yeah, yeah," Falco muttered. "But what's next? We can't just bask in this hero bullshit – we're mercenaries, and a mercenary's job is never finished."

The Toad next to him, Slippy, rolled his eyes with a toothless smile. He slouched over as he playfully smacked his hands on the dark-wooden table full of knots and badly-warped planks in some areas. "Oh, come on, Falco! Can't we enjoy ourselves for a change? After all, Andross is finally defeated!"

"And the Lylat System is safe once again," soothed a fennec fox named Fara Phoenix. She wore a long, flowing pink dress, signifying her new role as a retired pilot and a hopeful vixen. Her long ears perked up as the evening sounds began to penetrate through the long hallways of the dwelling where windows were carved out. She turned to the male fox on her left. "And it's all thanks to you."

The fox bit his lip. "I know, I know."

"What's the matter, Fox?" Falco asked. "You're not going to fall into one of your little angsty tirades again, are you?"

"No," Fox replied as he raised an eyebrow in anger. "It's just that… I wish my father and mother were there to see it."

Everyone nodded sympathetically. Everyone, that was, except for Falco. Propping his head up with his hand, he used the other to draw invisible circles in the wood grain of the table they sat at.

"Just get over it, Fox," he groaned. "It happened. At least you avenged their deaths. Many people can't even do that."

Fox probed his finger into the avian's face. "Shut up! My father and mother were very noble people! They didn't just _die_ – they were murdered by a twisted son of a bitch! Anyone with even the slightest bit of intelligence knows that."

Glaring into the eyes of the vulpine, Falco batted his finger away. Rolling his eyes, he shrugged his shoulders and reached for his drink. "Mama's boy," he muttered.

Fox sat straight up. Reaching for the collar of his wingman, he readied himself for a perfect punch. "You take that back!" he blasted as everyone moved to restrain the two.

"Knock it off, Fox!" Peppy warned as he pressed his hands against Fox's chest, despite knocking down his chair in the process.

"Boys, boys," Fara chimed in. "We're a team! And a team must always stick together." Everyone eased the tension as they focused their attention on the fennec fox, who backed away from the danger zone. "Falco, Fox was very close to his parents. After all, why do you think he practically threw his mother's dress at me and had me wear it?"

"Yeah, well, he's nothing but a selfish jerk!" Falco retorted. "Excuse me, doesn't anyone care that my parents died in an earthquake in Fortuna?"

"They probably hid in caves and were trapped like the cowards they were!"

Both men lunged for each other, only to be stopped by their teammates. Grunts and struggles continued until Fara placed her hand on Fox's chest.

"Fox McCloud, you know you didn't mean that. And… if I am going to stay around your presence a little while longer, you can't keep picking fights with those who deep down inside really do love and care for you." She turned to Falco, but all he did was look away.

Pausing slightly, Fox finally forced a grimace and nodded his head. "You're right." He stuck out his hand. "Falco, no hard feelings, right?"

Falco glared, but the stern look soon melted to a slight grin. "Just loosen up, rookie." He grasped his hand.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Fox paused to look around the room. Chairs were arranged haphazardly across the dank floor, with the wooden table filled with a collection of empty glasses and messy plates. Utensils were peppered about to top off the masterpiece of a long meal.

"Let's get some sleep," Fox finally spoke. He watched as Peppy nodded his head and moved his hands off his chest. "It's been a long day. And I'm sure everyone is as tired of the publicity as I am."

"I hear that," Falco added. "Just because we defeated Emperor Andross, they think we're saviors or something. Maybe by tomorrow things'll change."

Fox stretched his arms and yawned as the crew began to file out of the gathering room. The toll of stardom combined with the endless task of retaining the image of a skilled mercenary ensured he would always be fatigued. Yet when he opened his eyes, he noticed Peppy moving toward a large storage room on the left, the entrance blocked by a blue curtain. "Where to, old man?"

The hare bit his lip. "Just… thinking of the past, Junior… I mean Fox."

"Really?" he asked as he leapt across a crudely constructed chair. "Peppy, you fought alongside my father in battle countless times, but I haven't asked you if you think I'm anything like him. Am I decent? Just how good was he?"

Peppy turned away. "Oh, he was great."

"Does he compare to me?"

The aging rabbit paused. "Yes."

Furrowing his brow, Fox placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong, Pep?"

He turned to Fox and stared forlornly into his eyes. "Nothing, Fox. Nothing."

As Peppy attempted to move into the other room, Fox blocked his path. "Peppy, you raised me and took care of me without any objections. You're like an uncle to me. I honestly am very thankful for all you've done for me." He placed the other had on his shoulder. "Come on. What's bothering you?"

Shaking his head, Peppy turned away once more. "It's best you don't know, Junior."

Puzzled, Fox crept closer to him. "Sure it is. Tell me. You'll feel better afterwards." He paused. "After all, we're a team, and a team hides nothing from each other."

"Okay." Peppy nodded his head with a huff. "Okay, Fox. But what I'm going to show you will change your entire life as you know it." Not even waiting for a response, the old hare shoved the rungs of the curtain back with a squeaky metallic sound and entered the dark room.

Fox followed him in, intrigued at the shadows cast from a single bulb hanging in the middle of the room, illuminating the sea of old boxes and clothes scattered in piles and stacks across the room. A window in the far end of the room provided extra light, though it was mostly blocked by another stack of cardboard boxes. Fox knew he had been in here before, but only if he made a wrong turn to another room. It seemed as if the sight of some of his father's old clothes or the musky smell of his mother's perfume would prevent him from moving deeper into the room each time.

Though the room was a mess, Peppy seemed to know where he was going, as he rummaged through the clutter like he had done this hundreds of times before. When he reached a large heap of boxes, he pushed the stacks of cardboard aside, revealing a badly damaged hunk of metal.

"What's that?" Fox asked.

Peppy turned to him and stiffened his lower lip defiantly. "Your… mother and father found you in this almost twenty years ago to the date, Fox." He picked it up with a grunt and handed it to Fox, who immediately set it on a low-lying pile of old records.

"What?" he asked in sheer bewilderment.

The old hare nodded. "It's an escape pod from another planet, somewhere out there."

"But…" Fox's words trailed off. "But that means… my mother and father… aren't really my parents?"

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Peppy's thick eyebrows sadly shielded his eyes. "I'm sorry, Junior. I still remember that day, though. James and Vixy burst through my door and screamed something at me." He laughed. "Of course this meant I had to follow them. They took me out to a black streak across the desert horizon, where a rather small piece of metal was. Apparently by then the metal had cooled to the point where we could touch it. When we started uncovering the sand, however, we knew it was more than just a neat piece of craftsmanship we could sell for parts. There was a whole baby inside. James pushed a button on accident, and a door opened, revealing the cargo. You."

Fox was speechless. His attention immediately swayed to battered pod, with his fingers slowly going over the ridges.

"It was odd, though," Peppy continued, "because around your neck was a chain with the name 'Fox McCloud' inscribed on a smooth piece of sheet metal. It was as if you were made for them."

"But… where did it come from?"

"There's a name somewhere on the pod, but I'm not sure. I just remember I heard about it a while back." He chuckled. "Probably from a battle I fought in long ago."

Fox turned the pod around on its axis until he spotted a name. "Yang-Tzu?" he spoke.

"That's it. Yang-Tzu. I remember fighting for them in some battle a long time ago. Something your… I mean, James wanted to do. He said it was for his people or something." Chucking again, Peppy shook his head. "One day you'll be old, Fox. Then you'll understand how your mind turns to a sieve."

Fox focused on the pod. Then, with a deliberate jerk, he picked it up and chucked it to the ground.

"Fox?"

"You liar!" Fox shouted. "I can't believe you'd make something up like this!"

"Fox, listen to me."

"No!" He flung his arm around, crashing it into more empty boxes. "I _am _their son! I look like them! I talk like them! I even _act _like them! I am the son of James and Vixy McCloud!"

"Fox, I wouldn't lie to you!" Peppy dropped his brow. "Now, come on, forget the matter if you have to."

Biting his lip, Fox's face filled with rage. "I'll prove to you I'm their son. I'll fly to this Yang-Tzu place and _show _you!" With a quick jerk, Fox turned and stormed out of the room, knocking more boxes down in the process.

"Fox!" Peppy shouted. "Junior!"

"What does that old man know?" Fox grumbled as he slowly parked his swiftbike next to the Papetoon spaceport, not too far from his home. Though it was the evening, the docking bays were buzzing with activity, as many transports hopped hastily from planet to planet selling goods to the various market vendors and suppliers. As the vulpine fighter stepped off his bike, the loud thud of a hover crate exceeding its maximum cargo echoed across the base.

"Evening, sir!" a dirty tiger greeted.

Fox smiled and waved his hand slightly, passing through the main avenue, passed the dozens of docking bays and control towers and arenas. Like a well-organized city, workers and pilots alike trekked into the early hours, realizing that time was money and that time was everything in a busy spaceport quickly filling up with more and more ships.

"Fox!"  
Surprised, he immediately knew whose voice had called out to him. "General Pepper? What are you doing on Papetoon?"

"Fox," the wrinkled canine repeated as he sped up to where he stood, ducking under a large pipe lifted by a great crane, "I have something to present to you. Where's your crew?"

Biting his lip, he turned away. "I don't know. Sleeping, I guess."

"I don't like this one bit," the general huffed. "You five are a team! Whatever happened to 'all for one and one for all'?"

"Nothing's wrong, general."

"Oh, and you sneaking away from them to get to your ship is perfectly normal?" He placed a hand on the fox's shoulder. "Listen to me. You are the _hero_ of the Lylat System. Both young and old look up to you with honor and respect. People across the system count on you and your wingmen to defend and protect them. You aren't a kid anymore, Junior. You're more than that."

"I know, but this is something I need to find out."

"Which is?"

Fox paused. "Nothing. You wouldn't understand if I told you."

Moving his tongue across his teeth, the canine general nodded his head, very slightly at first, then more noticeable. "All I ask is you remain safe and that your crew comes as well. I can't have you die out there, Fox. And since you won't tell me where or why you're doing this, I'm going to assume it's dangerous."

Frustrated, he furrowed his brow. "Yes sir."

"Shall I notify them, or may I entrust that to you?"

Fox bit his lip, but, as he moved to his left, he noticed the other four stepping up from the main avenue. "I don't think that will be a problem, general. It seems they've already answered the call."

"Fox!" Peppy shouted as he lagged behind the remaining three fighter pilots. "Wait up!"

Watching them catch up, Fox smirked comically as the memories of only a few days ago were still fresh in his mind. How they boarded their ships with ease and took off in haste, seeking and destroying the abomination of the Lylat System, remained a mystery to him. Everything turned out well, even if it was disorganized and full of surprises. Shrugging, he felt it at least made it exciting.

"Where do you think you're going?" Falco blurted.

"We always stick together!" Slippy bubbled.

Fox nodded. "And may we never forget that. Come on, the general has something to show us."

As Peppy soon caught up to the group, the crew followed the decorated man to a hangar directly on the left. It was rather large as far as hangars go, but the complex spaceport was large itself and the building was probably used to store many ships within the enclosed structure. General Pepper waved his arms to a man on a metallic stairway, who immediately pressed a button to open the massive doors.

"We are forever in your debt," the general began, "but take this as a token of our gratitude. Your valiant efforts paid off in full, Starfox team, and now you shall reap some of the benefits."

Everyone's jaw dropped. In front of them sat a great white-colored ship, so large and so extensive it was difficult to see the top. Four large wings jutted from the fuselage, as well as an extra fin on the back, probably for stability, no doubt. As they slowly stepped closer to the great dreadnaught, a familiar logo was painted on the side.

"_This_ is for _us_?" Falco asked.

General Pepper nodded. "Yes. It's a retired A-class dreadnaught captured from a battle long ago. She has been under maintenance for nearly five years, preparing it for the greatest crew of the time."

Fara smiled. "You're always thinking of us, general."

"How do we pilot such a thing?" asked Peppy.

"I could do it," Fara replied.

Everyone turned to the canine as he shook his head. "A droid will be supplied to your crew. It is programmed specifically to carry out the duties of flying and maintaining the ship."

"Where's our arwings?" Fox asked.

"Inside the ship, as there is a docking bay on the back end." He watched as the five teammates stepped up to the vehicle. "It has Ion-stabilizing shields, two fission cannons on the front with a polonium-tipped torpedo bay on the back. In other words, it's more than qualified for your type of missions."

"How's it powered?" interrogated Slippy.

"Two twin fusion generators, capable of speeds upwards of one tenth the speed of light. It can go faster depending upon whether or not you pass through a nearby wormhole, though."

"Or a black hole!" Slippy spoke, remembering the battles of a few days ago still fresh in the minds of the crew.

"Thank you, general," Fox said with a smile. "Now we can really take out any threats." He paused. "After we make it to one place first."

"Where's that?"

"Yang-Tzu," Fara answered.

"What?" Fox asked. He turned to Peppy who nodded slightly.

"We _are _a team, Fox. And anything important to you is important to us. We don't hide anything either. Therefore, we must all know. The more we work, the faster we can get this done and move on."

Scowling, Fox watched as Falco boarded the ship from a tall ladder on wheels. "Whatever you say, old man."


End file.
